Red 5: The Answer
by reject187
Summary: To be a newsie is to be older than you appear. To be a scrounger. To live in the worst conditions and make the best of it. To be a newsie is to cheat death more than once.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: To be a newsie is to be older than you appear, to be a scrounger. To cheat death more than once.

- - - - - - - - Chapter 1

Blink looked up from lying on his bunk bed to find lips hovering above him. They were in a crooked smile, about to descend upon his own. He fully accepted the kiss, hot, steamy, and full of passion.

They both broke away for breath. He glanced up to find a girl, a little short, with flat, grey eyes. And red hair.

He sat up on the edge of his bed. She sat next to him. They continued to kiss, excited at the other's touch. He whispered in her mouth.

"Red. Red. Oh, Red!"

"Blink. Blink?"

He shot up in his bed, hitting his head on the upper bunk. He winced and rubbed the now forming bump.

Mush sat across from him, sleepy but concerned. "You woke me up. Are you ok?"

Blink winced again, rolling into a sitting position on the side of his bed. "Yeah," he whispered. "Why?"

"You were callin' for her again."

Blink sighed and blew a piece of hair from his face. That was the third time this month. "What'm I gonna do?"

Mush had moved to his side now. In a friendly motion, he put his arm around his comrade's shoulders. "You gotta let go. She left. She's gone. Get a grip!"

Blink sighed again. "What was it about her?"

Mush patted him on the back. "Well, might as well get up and dressed. I can hear Kloppy already."

"It's days like this I hate you, Mush."

Mush just grinned and stood up, pulling his suspenders over his lean shoulders as Kloppman slammed the door open and started shouting.

Blink grabbed his clothes and ran into the washroom before everyone else got up and grabbed a shower.

As the water pounded onto his body, he looked at himself in a small mirror on the stall door. He studied the face he saw, wondering about the reality of his dream, trying to determine if what he saw is what pushed her away.

What he did find was that he had black circles under his eyes. His body was gaunt, almost on the edge of skeleton form. The skin was so tightly wrapped to his cheeks that he looked like a walking zombie. His eyes began to give off a dull, grey color. He grinned weakly at that realization. One more thing to remind him of her.

What he found was not comforting.

"Blink! Stop usin' all the hot water!"

Pounding on the other side of the door made him turn off the shower and dress quickly. As soon as the door swung open, another entered, slamming it almost on his heels. He threaded his way through the swarm near the showers and water basins to his bed.

Blink methodically adjusted his eye patch, pulled on his undershirt and shirt, snapped his suspenders over his shoulders, and tugged his hat over his hair. He then slowly made his way downstairs, gripping the handrail.

The newsies quickly exploded from the small Lodging House and swallowed Blink up in them. He soon lost himself humming to their morning beat and even allowed a small smile on his face.

He went straight to the Distribution Center. Food hadn't really been appealing lately. Unless Jack or Mush sat him down with a plate in front of him and wouldn't let him leave until he finished, not much in the way of vittles went down the old gullet.

That's what it was. He felt old. Even though he was only sixteen, he felt sixty. Like he shoulda been dead a long time ago.

The circulation bell rang. Newsies swarmed against the gates. He managed to secure his usual position in line. Jack held his dialogue with Weasel, the newsies started filing through, Blink took a quarter's worth of papers.

He headed out to Strawberry Fields. Mush unofficially decided to sell with him. Blink glared at his friend as he had caught up with him, but Mush pretended not to notice. They sold in silence, hardly talking to each other for the first few hours. Around noon they decided to break.

They sat down with some sandwiches Mush had managed to filch earlier.

"I'm sorry I was kinda harsh this mornin'."

Blink nibbled on his sandwich. It was turkey, cheese, and lettuce on rye. His favorite. He sighed. "It's understandable. Not many people like being woken up earlier than their alarm by a lovesick newsie."

"I understand."

"No you don't. This has never happened to you. So stop being the official know-all on this subject."

There was no note of triumph in Blink's voice as he took a small bite out of the sandwich. He sighed and set the rest on the ground. Standing up and gazing towards the street, he impassively watched as a redheaded girl in newsie clothes headed across the street straight towards them.

Blink's eyes widened. "Mush. Get over here."

Mush quickly obeyed. Blink pointed. "Do you see what I see?"

His friend squinted. "Is that…"

A crash sounded behind them. Both boys jumped and spun.

There, where they had just been sitting, lay an old, rotted tree branch, with at least a three-foot diameter.

"Holy…" Blink breathed.

"We coulda been goners."

They both stared at each other in disbelief. It was a few minutes before Blink turned back to the street to find the redhead.

Nowhere to be found.

Well, it probably wasn't her anyway. What kind of person am I to be so lost over this girl that I jump at every redhead I see? That's crazy. Mush is right. I gotta let go.

- - - - - - - -

"Mush, what do you think about death?"

Mush shrugged as they sat on the fire escape, looking into the night. The street lamps bathed the two boys in a soft light. "That we each have a time, ordained by God, that we're gonna die. I've believed since I was four that Jesus died for me, so I'm going to live with Him in Heaven."

"You're not scared of death?"

Mush grinned. "Why should I be? It's a fact of life. The world has a one hundred percent mortality rate. Plus, I've got a great place to be going."

"What if you're wrong? About heaven, I mean."

"Well, if there is no heaven or hell, what have I got to loose?"

Blink nodded in agreement. "I guess." He sighed. "I mean, when I was six or so, me and me family went to a revival meeting. I got saved there. But…does it still count?"

"'Course."

"Even if I don't live it?"

"I think if you got the desire to live right, and do your best to do so, it still counts. Don't take my word for it, though."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"If you kill yourself, do you still get to go to heaven?"

Mush sighed. "I don't know."

They sat for a few more minutes.

"Tell me about heaven."

"I don't know much. Uhm…there's angels there. And there's no sun."

"Why?"

"God's glory lights it. Uh, there's gonna be a lotta people. At least, their souls."

Blink pondered that for a moment. Almost simultaneously they stood and started into bed. Blink yawned.

"Do you think there's such a thing as ghosts?"

Mush smiled as he climbed in the window. "I don't believe in ghosts. But I sure as hell believe in angels."

- - - - - - - -

Blink walked along State Street, happily munching on an apple he'd filched from a food cart, after selling the next day. Suddenly, he sensed someone beside him. He couldn't see anything out of the corner of his eye, but he stopped to look around anyway.

Nothing. Just the regulars. The street vendors. A few drunks passed out in an alley. A high society couple walking through as quickly as possible, obviously after taking a wrong turn. The woman held tightly to the gentleman's arm as they passed through. A pair of blonde twin girls, about six, giggling and holding hands as they skipped ahead to cross the street. One of them had a jump rope in her hand.

_Yer mind is playin' tricks on you, buddy boy. Get a grip! There's a lot of redhead girls who are newsies._

His logic was not comforting whatsoever.

He continued down the street, tossing his apple up and down, every so often taking a bite out of it. It was about half-eaten when a short newsie ran past, knocking into his shoulder and making him drop the apple in the mud.

"Hey!" he yelled, turning around and raising his fist. He just saw the newsie dash around the corner, his hat flying off onto the ground. A flash of red hair showed before the newsie disappeared.

Blink charged down the street, but as he rounded the corner, he stopped.

There was no one there. Not even a glimpse of disturbance.

He looked down to the ground, thinking he was going crazy.

_Not quite yet,_ was the subtle whisper that the grey hat contradicted. He picked it up, sent another glance down the street, and headed back the way he had been going. Just as he neared the intersection, a swarm of people flooded the streets, smacking him flush against the brick wall.

He never learned what the panic was about. All he could see was the jump rope lying in the middle of the street.


	2. Chapter 2

Forgot this before: Disclaimer: Don't own newsies, and kinda happy about it right now.

- - - - - - - -

"Blink?"

The one-eyed newsie blew cigarette smoke from his lips as he leaned on the fire-escape rail.

"Blink?"

"Talk." He took another drag from the cigarette hanging from his fingertips.

Mush sighed and went to lean on the rail next to his comrade. They stood there in silence for a while, sharing the cancer stick in the still of the smoke-laden night. Stars started to emerge overhead as the last rays of the sun left the horizon and the night chill began to creep around their ankles.

Mush took a drag and handed the joint back to Blink. "You ain't been sayin' much today, buddy."

Blink shrugged. "What's there to say?" He sucked on the cigarette as if his life depended on it. An expulsion of hacking started as soon as he took the joint out of his mouth.

Mush regarded the small tube of tobacco and declined. "Somethin' happen today?"

Blink took his time crushing the remains of the cigarette under his thin-soled boot.

"Is it 'cause of your sightin'?"

"Is it your business?" He turned to glare at his best friend.

Mush turned his back to the rail. "Spill, Blink." He glared right back.

"You ain't my head shrink."

"It's a field I'm considerin'."

Blink sighed and copied Mush's position. He haltingly began his tale. "Today…today I thought there was someone followin' me or somethin'. Then a newsie ran into me. I…I ran after him, but as I rounded the corner, no one was there. No evidence of any disturbance…'cept this."

He pulled the hat out of his back pocket. Mush took it from his hands and studied it as Blink continued his story.

"I picked it up and headed back the way I'd been goin'…to the Lodging House. But just as I was about to turn onto the next street…" he stuttered to a stop. Took a deep breath to steady his shaking hands. "There…there came a panic of people. I don't know why. All I knew was…_If I hadn't turned around…I would've been trampled._"

Mush glanced up. He pushed the hat back into Blink's hands. "Looks a lot like Red's." Before Blink could respond, he continued, "Funny thing happened today. Well, more like weird I guess.

"Ya see, I was walkin' along like usual. Delancys pounced me. Started beating the crud outta me. 'Course I fought back. Just as they were getting the better of me, this lanky kid, he bounces into this, joins in on my side. Soon Morris and Oscar were groaning on the side of the alley, and this kid disappears like that." He snapped his fingers.

Blink shook his head. "Not all that strange. A bit unusual."

They sat out there a few more minutes, soaking in the night air. Blink finally slapped Mush on the shoulder.

"Let's head to bed."

Mush nodded, and they ducked into the window.

- - - - - - - -

"Murderer loose in New York! Good mornin' sir! Care for a pape?"

It was a busy day. Blink had taken a hundred and already sold fifty to the flood of people going to work. He stood on the street corner, hollering with all his might.

"New York's children in danger! Extra! Extra!"

A middle-aged man came by, with a smile on his face and a dime in his hand. "Mornin', Blink! How's it going today?"

Blink grinned at the man. "Better'n usual, Doc Sherman. What can I do ya for?"

"One paper, if you please." They exchanged smiles as Blink handed the paper to the doctor. That smile disappeared as the newsie started coughing. As soon as Blink could cut it off, the doctor started talking.

"Blink…how long have you had that cough?"

Blink shrugged. "Few months."

"And I know you smoke."

He shrugged again. "Yeah, what of it?"

The doctor turned his worried eyes away. "Nothing. I'm a doctor, they pay me to tell you what's wrong. Then you pay me even more to cure you." They shared a short smile.

"Say hi to the missus, Doc. Have a nice day!"

Doc Sherman smiled and hurried away to his clinic. But the smile didn't satisfy his tumbling thoughts inside. _Could be chronic bronchitis. The smokes don't help much with this. Might be tuberculosis. Well, it's not like I can do anything anyway. Those newsies…they die fast and young. _

_Street life can't be easy._

_- - - - - - - -_

Blink loosely grasped his few remaining papers in his sweating palm. He wiped a bead of moisture off his forehead as he strolled toward the Lodging House, not realizing how deliberate and cautious his gait was.

Honestly, right now, he didn't care about much anyway.

He'd been paranoid the last few days, thinking he saw Red everywhere. _I'm really loosing it,_ he told himself, shaking his head. He took a deep breath. _Okay. Go to sleep early tonight. You haven't been getting much of that lately. Food either. Maybe Kloppy has some in the back…No. Not food. Not hungry. Just sleep. _

He stumbled up the steps to the door, dropped his papers inside the door, clanked six pennies on the front desk and meandered up the stairs. As soon as he cleared his bed, he was snoozing.

Kloppman took the coins, wrote Blink's name in the book, and started to prepare a sandwich. A little later, several of the boys came in, clinked their pennies on the counter, and signed in before spreading themselves around the small front room in their various activities.

As the proprietor of the establishment sat down to eat his sandwich, Jack burst through the door like he did every night. He dropped his payment onto the desk like every other newsie. As he signed his name, though, he paused a little before retreating from the pen. Jack waved a welcome to the other newsies and headed upstairs to the dorm room.

The old door creaked as Jack pushed it open. He entered quietly and quickly made his way to Blink's bed. He stood there over the skinny boy's sleeping form, contemplating.

Should I wake him? Nah. He hasn't got much sleep lately. I'll tell him tomorrow.

He watched a little longer at the blond newsie's slumber. Blink tossed and turned, still sleeping, so restless. When Blink's face was finally turned to Jack, he saw an expression of hell, honor, and hope. How it was all there…he didn't know.

- - - - - - - -

Blink woke slowly, unusual for him. His eyelids took the liberty of a few minutes between each blink to rest. As he yawned and stretched, he felt the pressure of someone else's eyes on him. He glanced up across the aisle to see Jack staring at him.

"Mornin' sleepyhead," Jack whispered.

"Hey, Jack. How's it been?" Blink grinned.

Jack's face turned serious as he turned on his stomach and rested his head on his crossed arms. "Strange things happenin', Blink."

As Blink's brow wrinkled in confusion, Jack continued. "Just yesterday, I was sellin' near a bar. Drunks are more likely to give up a penny or more to a poor lost soul than people sober. Anyway, I was watchin' this imminent fight across the street, when I thought I heard someone singin'. I turns my head to look, even takes a few steps to see better, an' what do you think I find?"

Jack paused, obviously waiting for an answer.

"Uhm…nothin'?"

Jack grinned. "Well, not quite. I looks and sees this dame, disappearin' into an alley. So I walks over there to make sure she's okay. Well, I go over and finds no one. So I head back. 'Bout five steps before I'm back to my original spot, a knife hits the wall where my head woulda been."

Blink's heart raced. Could it…?

"Uh…Jack?"

"Mm?"

"This dame…she look sorta like Red?"

Jack's brow wrinkled in thought. "Well…now that you mention it…yeah, I guess so. 'Bout her height. The singin' sounded like her. She did have red hair too. Coulda been." He paused a minute. "But she was wearin' a skirt—atypical even if it were."

Blink considered telling his leader the few strange things he'd seen in the past week.

"Other newsies been seein' things too, you know. Ask Snitch or Race. They'd tell ya a thing or two if'n ya wanted."

Blink nodded just as Kloppman came shouting up the stairs. He sighed and rolled out of bed, rushing to a shower, thinking of what Snitch or Race would have to say.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey! Hey Race!"

Blink drew up beside the short Italian, who was studying the street for his ride to the tracks. Race didn't raise his eyes from the street as he sucked on his signature cigar.

"What, Blink?"

He stopped for a second. How weird was this gonna sound? _"Hey, Race, Jack tells me you've been saved from something lately. Did the apparition look like Red?"_

"What do you want, Blink?"

"Uh…well…I was talkin' with Jack this mornin'. And he told me something that happened to him yesterday…and said you kinda had the same experience. Uhm…I was kinda curious…"

Race sneered. "And you want me to tell."

"Uh…yeah."

He continued scanning the street for his ride as he started his story. "I was sellin' my papes to the owners and railbirds at the side of the tracks. I was talking to a fella about Le Bête, a newcomer from Sleeping Beauty and The Frenchman. We were hangin' on the rail before a race is 'bout to start. I got a bet on that one, but all's of a sudden, I gots this voice sayin' _Get off the fence._ So's I looks around, and sees this boy newsie holdin' some papes. My territory, so even though the race starts, I head after the boy. He grins at me then disappears into the crowd. Few seconds later Le Bête trips on the track and plows into the fence where I'd been perched."

Before Blink could say a word a carriage rumbled by. Race jumped on the back and hung on as it headed towards Sheepshead Bay. Blink put his hand on the back of his head and tipped his hat forward.

_This is gettin' strange. Wonder what Snitch's got to say?_

- - - - - - - -

Blink walked down the street with his hands in his pockets. He'd sold his papes quick today…and thought he saw her again. He'd been wandering around the streets for…well, who knows how long. His stomach rumbled. He was so focused on his shoes that he hardly noticed when he ran into someone else. Glancing up from the impact, he almost immediately put his head back down.

"Oh, sorry, Snitch."

"'Scuse me, Blink."

They both continued on their way, Blink in his own little world, Snitch…well, feeling guilty I guess, because not five seconds later he came running back, crying, "Blink! BLINK!"

It drew a few odd stares from the others on the crowded sidewalk, but Snitch managed to push through the crowd (gaining the contents of various pockets) to arrive at Blink's side, barely breathing hard.

"Blink?" Snitch stared as Blink continued walking down the street. He caught up with the somber newsie again and grabbed his arm, spinning him towards himself.

"What?" Blink growled.

"Just…uhm…well, I talked to Jack a little bit ago…said you were interested in somethin' that happened to me earlier this week."

Blink's attention was completely focused now. "Walk with me. Where you headed?"

The pickpocket shrugged. "Just workin' the streets until I get back to the Lodging House."

Blink nodded. "Talk." He pulled a cigarette out of his vest pocket and fumbled in his pants for a match. Snitch shoved an entire packet of them into his hand. Blink smiled his knowing thanks, shoved the pack back into his pocket, and lit up.

"Well…I was workin' the streets like I am today. I got this one target, real rich fella I could tell, looked like he was in a real hurry. I pass by this apple cart and for some reason felt hungry all of a sudden. So I stops to filch an apple, but 'fore I could sneak away I looked at the old lady. Normally I don't do that…but she looked a lot like Red. We connected…and I knew she knew what I'd done. I sneaked the apple back on the cart, but just as I go after my target again, she calls me over. And hands me an apple. We smiled at each other as I went after the guy again and she starts putterin' her fruit. Singin'. Sounded a heckuva lot like the AngelBoid.

"Anyways, I heads off for this guy again…but I'd lost him. Next day in the papes I saw a pic of the feller I'd been followin'…said he'd escaped from jail and already murdered once." Snitch swallowed hard. "That coulda been me, if I hadn't stopped for that lady's apple."

They were back to the House now. Blink absentmindedly patted Snitch on the back and thanked him. "See ya, Snitchy."

Blink meandered through the door and waved hello to Kloppman. He signed in and paid, but before he headed upstairs, he turned to the proprietor. "Hey…uh, Klopp?"

"Yeah?"

"You…you got an extra sandwich back there?"

Kloppman grinned. "Sure, Kid. Two cents a fair price?"

Blink nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Klopp."

- - - - - - - -

"Uh…uh, Mush?"

"Yeah, Blink?"

A pause. "Nothin'."

They leaned on the rail of the fire escape, looking into the night sky. The silence permeated the blackness, casting a peaceful aura over the night.

"Maybe I'll sleep out here tonight," Blink commented, pushing smoke out of his mouth.

"Nah," Mush said, yawning. "It's getting too cold."

"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."

Mush punched Blink's shoulder. "Don't even think about it. I'd kill you first."

They shared a short chuckle. The silence dominated again.

Blink cocked his head to one side. "Do you hear that?"

Mush threw a quizzical glance to his friend. _Are you goin' off your rocker or…_

Then he heard it as well. Both of them waited in wordlessness as a melody as antiqued as the Old Country and carrying all of its eerie mystery wove its way through the night…as if it belonged there. It grew in volume until it seemed as if the voice was right behind their heads.

Someone said a broken heart 

_Stings at first then makes you stronger _

_Wonder why this pain remains_

_Were hearts made whole just to break?_

At 'break', the boys moved off the rail and turned around to see this mysterious voice. But of course there was no one there. Blink rushed to the rail to look down in the alley.

The singing voice turned into a banshee's shriek and disappeared as the rusty rail broke away, taking Blink with it.


	4. Chapter 4

All the boys inside were still asleep. None of them even woke up. Kloppman snored as he dreamed downstairs. It was if there was a spell cast upon them that night. Maybe it was just a big day. Either way, the House stayed silent.

Mush frantically crawled to the edge, only to have the flimsy metal shelf bend even more with both their weights. He swore. "Hang on, Blink!" he shouted. _Cuz if you let go, you're a goner._ His stomach flipped as he got as far to the edge as possible and reached out his hand even farther. No dice.

Sweat began to roll down Blink's face. His grip on the steel rail began to weaken with the increased liquid. His eye darted around, futile in finding another hold.

"Can you grab the supports?" Mush frantically gestured to the support bars underneath the metal shelf. Blink stretched for the supports, but quickly gave up as the fire escape began to groan. Mush glanced around furiously, trying to get another angle. _Can't crawl closer, bends shelf. Can't crawl on the rail, might fall myself. Can't get to stairs, too far away…_

As he glanced toward the stairs, he barely acknowledged that a small boy was crawling nearer and nearer to Blink. He did a double take. It looked like the boy he'd seen in the alley fight.

The small boy looked like he could pass for the age of ten, he was so small. Blink seemed to notice him too, because he started trying to swing towards the steps. They reached out their hands as far as possible. Mush winced. If anything, this was not going to end pretty.

He blinked. Next thing he saw, the boy had Blink's hand, then the other. He stood up, doing a quick-switch to get their hands over the rail. He grunted, pulling Blink over the rail. When he finally had Blink sitting on one of the steps, he walked back down the stairs.

Blink caught his breath and ran down the stairs just as the boy had turned to go down the next flight. By the time he got to the landing, the boy was gone. He breathed heavily. His heart was beating triple-time, threatening to leap up his throat.

"As if…as if he just vanished," he whispered into the moonlight. He stood there for a moment more, staring at the vacant flight of steps. Then he ducked into the second-story window.

Blink made his way through the children's room, then tediously climbed the stairs to the third floor boy's room. Mush met him in the hall.

"Are you alright?" Mush's eyes seemed almost to pop out as he took his best friend by the upper arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He paused for a minute. "Did…did you see that boy?"

Mush nodded.

"The first time I grabbed for his hand…It was almost like my hand went _through_ his…and after I got up…he disappeared…like he was never there…"

"There's something strange in the state of New York."

- - - - - - - -

"Extra! Extra! Attempted assassination! President shot at! Extra!"

Selling was going good. Blink was almost disappointed he didn't buy more papers that morning. He was grateful for the distraction, since his decision to sell alone today left him too much time to think.

He grinned and tipped his hat to a young lady as she blushed and continued on the street. His eyes followed her, especially the red hair under her hat. He even took a few steps down that street to see her.

A scream broke across the busy avenue. Blink looked back to find Mush, five feet away, gasping for breath. His eyes were wide open as he struggled to breathe. Blink rushed and caught him as he fell, but almost pulled his hand away as he touched his best friend's back. He lifted Mush's body to look at his back and what his hand had grazed.

A knife stuck three inches out of his back. A man ran over to the two and started apologizing profusely.

"I am-a so sorry! We were just-a practicing for the show tonight!" The man continued to babble in Italian, but Blink returned his gaze to Mush.

"B—Blink…" he managed to wheeze.

"What? What!" Blink whispered frantically, searching his friend's eyes for some kind of hope.

"P-pocket…vest…lu…lo…"

"Okay…alright. Your vest pocket."

Mush looked as if he wanted to say something else. "What? What is it?"

He pressed his lips together as Blink continued studying his friend's face. Mush parted his lips as he went limp in Blink's arms.


	5. Chapter 5

"No. No. NO! NOOOO!!!!!!" His whispered plea was screamed over the din of the streets. His fingers searched the side of his friend's neck for a pulse.

None.

He jerked the knife out of Mush's back and wiped it clean on his pants. Then he put the knife in his bag and picked up Mush's body. The Italian knife-thrower continued to apologize, but Blink ignored him as he walked down the street, glaring, never straying his gaze from in front of him.

Mush's normally heavy body seemed so light, so frail.

I wonder how much the soul weighs.

- - - - - - - -

"What happened?"

Blink ignored them all and headed straight for the small room in the back, reserved for the sick and the occasional helpers. He lay Mush's body down on the bed, then put the knife on the table beside him. The other newsies noted the solemnity of the moment, and Blink's need to be alone, so they shut the door behind him.

Blink first of all breathed a short prayer. _Lord, please. Let Mush be with you. I know he's always wanted to be there. Make him happy._

Next he dug into Mush's vest pocket. Nothing there, but he could feel paper beneath it. He turned the piece of material over and searched the back with his fingers. His fingers slipped into a secret pocket and pulled out two slips of paper. The first held his will.

If you're holding this, I guess I'm dead.

Blink, I know you're upset. Don't be. I'll see you soon. Please make sure this will is carried out. I don't got no family—blood relatives, that is—so there's no one to contact.

_Don't come too quickly. Never forget me. I love you._

The rest of the letter dictated what he wanted done with his things.

Blink, just dump me in the harbor. It doesn't matter. I'm with God.

Blink bit his lip and opened the second paper. What he saw made him drop to his knees. His mouth opened in shock and horror.

On it were four pictures. There was a telescope, a diamond shape, a half circle with an arrow at one end, and a lamb. It was Newsie spy code. Jack had been worrying about him and sent Mush to…watch…keep safe…follow…and the lamb was Blink's code picture.

It's my fault Mush is dead.

No it isn't, Blink, and you know it!

It is. If Jack wasn't worried about me cuz I was seeing things, he wouldn't have sent Mush to look out for me, and everyone would be okay since I was safe from that knife.

He eyed the knife sitting on the end table. As his hand inched toward the handle, the door flew open. Blink's head whipped around to see Jack entering the room.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jack threatened. "Get over here NOW."

Blink obeyed.

"Now, do you think Mush would want you to kill yourself so you two could be together? You were great friends and all, but that's plain selfish of you to think of suicide. Alright? What about the rest of us? So buck it up and smile. Kloppman's gonna come and prepare the body. We'll bury him tomorrow. Did he leave his will?"

It was all said so gently and forcefully that Blink was disarmed for the moment. He nodded in reply. "Yeah. He wants to be dumped in the river."

Jack nodded, his arms crossed over his chest. "Alright. Tomorrow, five."

Blink consulted the first sheet of paper. "He wants you to carry his right arm, Race to carry his left, Bumlets to carry his legs, and me to carry his head." He looked up. "We'll wade in, carry him on a stretcher, then glide him off and hope no one asks questions."

"I'll just tell Officer Grady. He usually is on the beat at that time. He won't pull us in."

Blink nodded in agreement. Jack put a comforting hand on his shoulder, then sidled away to tell the other newsies what was going on.

Blink retired to his bunk for the rest of the day.

- - - - - - - -

God. GOD! WHERE ARE YOU! 

Right here.

_Where were you when Mush died? Huh! _

Always right here.

Where were you when my mum died in that fire? Where were you when my brother and sisters took the fever and the doctor wouldn't treat 'em cuz we didn't have money?

Right beside you.

Where were you when my FATHER left us? 

Carrying you in my arms.

Where were you when the fever took my eye! 

Always here by you.

Then why am I alone.

I've always been right here. It's you who stepped away. Come back, my son. Come back. Come back to me.

……I'm scared.

That's alright. Just keep talking to me.

Why? 

Because you are my own. And I love you. My son.

No! You can't! I'm not! 

Why not?

Fathers are trash. Mine didn't do nothin' for me.

Then I am Yaweh-Rapha, to heal your heart. El Shalom, to bring you peace. El Gibbor, to bring strength to your soul. I am the rock that will not be shaken. Walk with me.

Walk with me. 

Walk with me.

- - - - - - - -

Blink woke in a tangle of sweat-soaked sheets. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, gulping in air. Tears ran down his cheeks as he threw his arms up to the ceiling and raised his face. The names kept coming like a torrent of rain. Yaweh. El Shaddai. Elohim.

Thank you. Thank you.

_You're welcome._

- - - - - - - -

The next day, as the church bells rang five o' clock around the city, Blink and company carried Mush's body into the river. Skittery was the unofficial preacher, and all the newsies held their hats in their hands as the four pallbearers waded in the water.

To the sound of Skittery's voice, they pushed Mush's body on the stretcher out to sea. Then, with the last of the formalities done, the rag-tag group of mourners turned around to head back to the Lodging House. Race, Jack, and Bumlets waded past him out of the water. Jack patted him on the shoulder as he passed, then left Blink alone to gaze across the wide river.

Blink stood there, shivering in the cold, waist-high water, watching his best friend's funeral pyre drift out to sea. Just as he was about to go, he could almost swear he saw a boy standing in the middle of the river, as if to accept Mush's body. The stretcher was headed straight at him.

When it got there, the boy grabbed Mush's hand and raised him off the stretcher. Mush seemed to stand, but his body was still on the stretcher. Mush looked down to his body, then looked across the water at Blink. He winked.

Blink's mouth dropped open as he watched Mush jump into the sky, disappearing in a ray of sunlight.

The boy grinned at the spot Mush disappeared into. He then tipped the body—the shell of Mush—off the stretcher, then sent the makeshift coffin back to shore. Blink couldn't react as the stretcher hit his own body. Dumbfounded, but not knowing what else to do, he grabbed the stretcher and headed back to shore. Astounded by what he had just seen, a voice caught him unawares.

"Blink."

As he set foot back on ground, the soft voice flooded his senses. He turned toward it's owner.

"Red?"

The feisty Irish redhead lifted her chin and smiled. She stood on high ground, her hands behind her back, smiling. In a rare stroke of femininity, a dress swished softly against her ankles. "Hi."

Blink almost fell to the ground. "You…you're…"

"No, Blink. I'm not back." The smile was replaced by a sad look.

"But…" The water colliding with the beach barely registered in his ears as he took in the sight that was Red.

"I was here to save you, and your friends."

"Then why…" Everything seemed to register in slow motion.

"It was his time to go. God wanted him now." Red's fingers lifted his chin to look in her eyes. They seemed icy cold.

"Who…" Red anticipated his questions before he could say them.

"The boy with me? A good friend I've met. His name's Kirk O'Toole, but everyone he knows calls him Limerick."

Blink gasped for air, looking at Red as she smiled at him. Finally, he caught his breath. "Will you come back with me? To the Lodging House?"

She stepped away.

"I'm dead, Blink."

Blink lost his breath again as Red began to fade before his eyes. A light from the heavens shone down on her, and he could almost swear she was flying when she disappeared. He looked out over the water. The boy, Limerick, smiled and tipped his hat to him, then flew away as well.

The newsboy at last got his breath back. He gazed into the sky, overwhelmed. Finally, his attention was brought back to what he was going to do.

He methodically folded the cot and tucked it under his arm. Still in a daze, he started to cross the street.

Screams started mounting. He was so engrossed in what had happened that he didn't hear them. "Hey! Hey kid! Watch it! Look out!"

The warnings all came too late. He looked up to see a horse and carriage five feet from him. He saw the whites of the horse's eyes. He saw the terrified expression of the older gentleman driving the carriage.

And as the carriage bore down on him, he saw the angel of death riding, his hideous laugh reaching Blink's ears and making him shudder. He watched as the bone-white jaw worked up and down as he laughed.

Then all was silent.

- - - - - - - -

Blink looked up from where he was lying on a soft bed. A constant laughter created a gentle musical sound upon his ear. Surrounded by a golden luminescence, a familiar pair of lips descended upon his own. He smiled and sat up, hugging the woman kissing him. She returned the embrace.

"_So, you finally got what you wanted, huh, Blink?"_

_Blink smiled at Red before turning to Mush, who sat in a chair about ten feet away. The darker boy's smile glowed in his remade body. Blink looked between Red and Mush. And all he could do was laugh, melding with the melody of the music around them_


End file.
